The NRL salary cap now $12.1m (£6.5m)

[Toby Chopra]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

Peanuts isn't it. I'd be over in Australia as soon as I could be.

Indeed. Is there no work permit issue, it's not like all these youngsters are internationals. 

[JM2010]

At least RL now has a competition that gives players the chance to earn good money on par with RU. 

 

[Tommygilf]

42 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Indeed. Is there no work permit issue, it's not like all these youngsters are internationals. 

2 year working visas are plentily available, and even then at the salary they'll be on I don't think they'll be in any bother.

[Toby Chopra]

13 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

At least RL now has a competition that gives players the chance to earn good money on par with RU. 

 

Yes, it's why I don't see this as all bad. If it gets known that 21 year old lads are going off to live in Sydney and earning £100k a year playing rugby league, surely that attracts/keeps teens into the sport in the UK?

[gingerjon]

17 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Yes, it's why I don't see this as all bad. If it gets known that 21 year old lads are going off to live in Sydney and earning £100k a year playing rugby league, surely that attracts/keeps teens into the sport in the UK?

Bingo

[Mr Frisky]

50 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Yes, it's why I don't see this as all bad. If it gets known that 21 year old lads are going off to live in Sydney and earning £100k a year playing rugby league, surely that attracts/keeps teens into the sport in the UK?

Would be fine if the club sorted them digs as part of the package, but the nice areas of Sydney would be too expensive for these young players and they could end up in rough areas out West, or further north a town like Newcastle  not nice places for young lads away from home. On the surface it all sounds good,  but they could end up in crime infested suburbs of Sydney rather than the Eastern Suburbs. 

You would think the clubs would look after them though and keep them right.

[Mr Frisky]

1 hour ago, Toby Chopra said:

Does seem like we could be reaching a tipping point, but not sure there's any easy solutions. It's not like anyone's getting seriously rich on the back of UK RL, and certainly not the club owners. 

Yes its a worry. The Money some top SL players like Tomkins and Williams are earning will put make them very very comfortable in retirement, but those 2 and a few others are the exception.

Its still crazy how some SL players are earning about £20k a year - as someone said last season - the fans watching these players are on better money than the players. Not sure what the answer is, we all hoped that the WC would give the game a boost but its more or less forgotten now.

[Copa]

6 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Would be fine if the club sorted them digs as part of the package, but the nice areas of Sydney would be too expensive for these young players and they could end up in rough areas out West, or further north a town like Newcastle  not nice places for young lads away from home. On the surface it all sounds good,  but they could end up in crime infested suburbs of Sydney rather than the Eastern Suburbs. 

You would think the clubs would look after them though and keep them right.

Newcastle is a great place and there are plenty of ok places to live in western Sydney. Western Sydney hosts a few nrl teams.

Edited February 1, 2023 by Copa

[Man of Kent]

10 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Would be fine if the club sorted them digs as part of the package, but the nice areas of Sydney would be too expensive for these young players and they could end up in rough areas out West, or further north a town like Newcastle  not nice places for young lads away from home. On the surface it all sounds good,  but they could end up in crime infested suburbs of Sydney rather than the Eastern Suburbs. 

Rougher than Bradford?

[Mr Frisky]

10 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Rougher than Bradford?

Probably worse mate - some really bad places, with big gang and drug culture - just like any large city really.

[gingerjon]

17 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

The Money some top SL players like Tomkins and Williams are earning will put make them very very comfortable in retirement

Earning even 300k a year for four years will not set you up for life.

None of our UK players will get to have a genuine work free retirement.

[Mr Frisky]

16 minutes ago, Copa said:

Newcastle is a great place and there are plenty of ok places to live in western Sydney. Western Sydney hosts a few nrl teams.

Newcastle is a bit rough to say the least - sone OK areas yes but most people think if they move to Sydney they will live next to the beach in the Eastern Suburbs- the reality is they will probably only afford a house on a vast estate out west.

[Mr Frisky]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

Earning even 300k a year for four years will not set you up for life.

None of our UK players will get to have a genuine work free retirement.

Think Tomkins has been on about £300k for the past 10 years at Wigan and Cats and a lot more at NZ Warriors.

Williams is on a lot more than that.

[Mr Frisky]

7 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Earning even 300k a year for four years will not set you up for life.

None of our UK players will get to have a genuine work free retirement.

I did say comfortable - not living in a mansion in Monaco - with an agent to advise them, you would think players like Tomkins and Williams would be investing a good proportion of their wages so, done correctly they will be ok - not like most SL players though who will need to get normal jobs.

Edited February 1, 2023 by Mr Frisky

[AB90]

6 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Newcastle is a bit rough to say the least - sone OK areas yes but most people think if they move to Sydney they will live next to the beach in the Eastern Suburbs- the reality is they will probably only afford a house on a vast estate out west.

That’s a bit dramatic! No 18 to 22 year old earning $150k (AUD) a year will need to live in a deprived area of Sydney.

They can easily afford to rent a nice 1 or 2 bedroom apartment in any part of Sydney they desire (if they want to buy then a different question - but why would any British kid look to buy a place at that age in a foreign country).

[Mr Frisky]

6 minutes ago, AB90 said:

That’s a bit dramatic! No 18 to 22 year old earning $150k (AUD) a year will need to live in a deprived area of Sydney.

They can easily afford to rent a nice 1 or 2 bedroom apartment in any part of Sydney they desire (if they want to buy then a different question - but why would any British kid look to buy a place at that age in a foreign country).

Rents about the same, to be fair young lads would probably share and they would be more concerned about the party side than a nice area.

Edit to say, I co-own 2 apartments in the Eastern Suburbs and we charge $1200 a week for a 2 bedroom and $950 for a one bedroom. 

However when I was young and daft I lived with about 4 other lads and didn't care we were in a rough part of the city - its these lads who may get homesick that it could affect more being put up out west.

Edited February 1, 2023 by Mr Frisky

[AB90]

34 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Rents about the same, to be fair young lads would probably share and they would be more concerned about the party side than a nice area.

Edit to say, I co-own 2 apartments in the Eastern Suburbs and we charge $1200 a week for a 2 bedroom and $950 for a one bedroom. 

However when I was young and daft I lived with about 4 other lads and didn't care we were in a rough part of the city - its these lads who may get homesick that it could affect more being put up out west.

And also, who says these guys are only getting paid the minimum wage. I assume a lot of them will be on significantly more than that around the $200k to $400k range (which is still relatively low for the NRL). 

[Madrileño]

1 hour ago, Mr Frisky said:

Would be fine if the club sorted them digs as part of the package, but the nice areas of Sydney would be too expensive for these young players and they could end up in rough areas out West, or further north a town like Newcastle  not nice places for young lads away from home. On the surface it all sounds good,  but they could end up in crime infested suburbs of Sydney rather than the Eastern Suburbs. 

For every silver lining, you try your best to find a cloud!

[EggFace]

1 hour ago, Mr Frisky said:

Probably worse mate - some really bad places, with big gang and drug culture - just like any large city really.

Big Islander culture out West and always felt safe in those parts when I was in Australia 20 odd years ago but don't the clubs help them with rented accommodation ?

[Copa]

1 hour ago, Mr Frisky said:

Newcastle is a bit rough to say the least - sone OK areas yes but most people think if they move to Sydney they will live next to the beach in the Eastern Suburbs- the reality is they will probably only afford a house on a vast estate out west.

Newcastle isn’t rough. I’d live there.

There are some big town centres out west, for example Parramatta, it’s not one big huge estate out west.

A single young person on $150k won’t struggle to find somewhere ok to live in most parts of Sydney.

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by Copa

[Mr Frisky]

13 minutes ago, Madrileño said:

For every silver lining, you try your best to find a cloud!             

Its not great SL losing young  players to an other league - not really a silver lining is it.

Good on the lads that give it a go though. You left NZ for a better life in Europe so if you can do it so can they I suppose. 

[Madrileño]

24 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Its not great SL losing young  players to an other league - not really a silver lining is it.

It means that English talent can stay in League where if Super league was the only alternative,  the majority would now just head straight to union for far more money.

Keeping players in the sport is definitely a silver lining. 

[ELBOWSEYE]

10 hours ago, Toby Chopra said:

Does seem like we could be reaching a tipping point, but not sure there's any easy solutions. It's not like anyone's getting seriously rich on the back of UK RL, and certainly not the club owners. 

Not when a section of the SL clubs don't want a SC increase they don't even spend to the current levels. 

[Davo5]

9 hours ago, Copa said:

Newcastle is a great place and there are plenty of ok places to live in western Sydney. Western Sydney hosts a few nrl teams.

Exactly,Sydney is a large metropolis and like every other city in the world has its downtrodden areas but to think any elite sporting organisation would allow its young,talented players to be accommodated in some drug ridden bedsit is laughable.

Unfortunately given the pittance some of the young talent at Superleague clubs are on,these young players will continue to be attracted by the chance of landing an NRL deal & fair play to them for giving it a go over there,even if they don’t crack the NRL,the experience will be invaluable & they’ll have a few bob in their pockets & great life experiences.

[GUBRATS]

Our clubs can only pay what they have , simple economics